Parshas Vayelech

Reaching Within

By Rabbi Shlomo Jarcaig

"Shabbos Mevorchim", the Shabbos (Sabbath) before Rosh Chodesh (start of
the Jewish lunar month), is unique because it contains a special prayer
announcing the coming of the new month and praying that it be filled with
many blessings. This prayer is recited on the Shabbos preceding every
month of the year, with one exception. This week, the Shabbos prior to
Rosh Hashanah, which will also be Rosh Chodesh Tishrei, we do not announce
the coming of the new month or add any special prayers. Rosh Hashanah is
the Day of Judgment, on which G-d decides the various blessings that will
be allotted to each of His children. Of all the months on the Jewish
calendar, it would appear that the month of Tishrei would be the most
appropriate one to announce; the announcement would serve as a wake up call
to prepare for the Judgment Day. Yet on this occasion in particular we
remain silent. Similarly, throughout the month of Elul, which precedes Rosh
Hashanah, we blow the Shofar each day (except for Shabbos) at the end of
the morning prayers. The primary function of blowing the Shofar is as a
wake up call to prepare for the impending judgment. The day on which this
would seem to be most appropriate would be the day before Rosh Hashanah; it
is, after all, our last chance to prepare. But on the day before Rosh
Hashanah, however, we do not blast the Shofar. Why do we squander these
opportunities with silence?

One of the reasons attributed to our silence on these occasions is that we
are attempting to "confuse the Satan." This would seem to indicate that by
not announcing the New Year or blowing the Shofar on the last day, we could
somehow sneak through the Judgment Day without being accused by the
prosecuting angel. This presents us with some difficulties. Firstly, does
G-d who judges us not know all of our deeds? How could tricking the Satan
change the way he judges us? Also, why do we expect the Satan to fall for
the same trick every year? Certainly after all these years he is familiar
with the tactic.

The Talmud (Tractate Bava Basra 16a) explains that the Satan and our evil
inclination are the same angel. Our silence on these occasions is not a
trick designed to fool some detached accusing angel and avert the type of
judgment we deserve. It is a trick designed for confuse our own evil
inclination to allow us to become closer to G-d. G-d gave us the ritual
mitzvos (Divine commandments) in the Torah as a means of connecting with
Him. In that vein, prayer and the Shofar are important tools to help us
repent and return to G-d. But one cannot allow rites to replace true
penitence. There is a natural human tendency to rely excessively upon the
rituals we perform as a basis toward defining our spiritual level and how
close we are to G-d. But before Rosh Hashanah our focus needs to be on
genuine contrition and resolve for change. This requires introspection and
focus on our spiritual weaknesses.

It is on the Shabbos - the day of spiritual reconnection to the Divine -
that precedes the Judgment Day, as well as the day before Rosh Hashanah -
when we are most intensely focused on the charge before us - that it is
most important to deliver this message. By deviating from our normal
activities we are reminded that our rituals do not create a relationship
with the Master of the Universe when they are performed by rote; they only
succeed in creating the bond when they are fulfilled with sincerity. More
so, refraining from rituals reminds us the true return to G-d is not simply
improving our outward actions; real and lasting change must come from within.